The Canadian government has approved what appears to be the crass exploitation of human suffering for entertainment. In a new low, Safety Minister Vic Toews approved the filming of an immigration enforcement raid at an East Vancouver construction site for a reality TV show. In the raid, workers were arrested and some of them face deportation, all part of the narrative grist being assembled for Shaw Media’s program “Border Security”.

It also isn’t clear the degree to which public resources are being diverted to support the program. The Canada Border Security Agency is clearly working in concert with the production – both teams showing up together at sites and intimate levels of access to search and seizure being allowed, and there is also extensive review of video footage carried out by the CBSA before anything goes to air.

If you would like to tell Minister Vic Toews that this is unacceptable, write to him: toewsv1@parl.gc.ca